A projector includes: a light source device; an optical modulation device configured to modulate a luminous flux emitted from the light source device in accordance with image information, forming an image; a projection optical device configured to project the image; a shutter device including a light shielding plate which can move into and out of an optical path of the luminous flux ranging from the light source device to the optical modulation device, shields the luminous flux by the light shielding plate moving into the optical path; and a light control device which being disposed on the optical path's upstream side of the shutter device, changes the area of a light passage through which the luminous flux passes, controlling the quantity of the luminous flux.